Full name: Haley Madeline Corrigan
DOB: September 23, 1985
Parents: Paul and Anne Corrigan
Siblings: Addison Corrigan and Riley Corrigan
Haley was born in Cambridge, England to the parents of Paul and Anne Corrigan.The middle of three children, all girls, Haley grew up in a modest home, with a faily normal childhood. When Haley was 8 years old, her father's company had offered him a promotion--in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"I'll never forget that day. We had just gotten home from school and dad called a family meeting. We knew something was up, because we had never had a family meeting before. I remember sitting next to Addy [Addison] on the couch when he said it: We're moving to the States. And just like that, with that one little sentence, my world had forever changed. We fought it at first, my sisters and I. We had friends, family in England.. It was all that we knew. And we didn't know anything about the states, let alone New Orleans. <chuckles> The first thing Riley did was go to the Globe to find it on the map. But mum and dad had made the decision,and we had to go."
So the Corrigan family packed up their lives and jumped the pond, settling in a small town outside of New Orleans,
"It was a huge adjustment for us. We [the kids] were terrified of starting a new school. Keep in mind, schooling in England is nothing like it is in the States, we had no idea what to expect. We were scared we weren't going to make new friends, if we were going to like it, if we would fit in.. Normal stuff to worry about I suppose. Come to think of it, I had the same fears before I moved to Morada!"
Haley and her sisters had a difficult time adapting to the Southern culture, especially the deep-Southern dialect,
"It's funny, I was so terrified of not making new friends and not fitting in, I never even thought about the culture, then againI was only 8. I suppose it's that southern charm they always talk about. Or perhaps it was our "accents", but my sisters and I became quite popular rather quickly. Everyone wanted to know what England was like, and "if everyone spoke like we did". Which we all wanted to know the same thing about them <chuckles>. I'll tell ya, we had the hardest time understanding the Southern dialect. It took some getting used to, but it was tough!"
In an effort for her to make friends faster, Haley's mother enrolled her in after school activities,
"Riley and I picked gymnastics, and Addy picked karate. All three of us took dance, but it never really did stick with any of us. It wasn't until I became serious about gymnastics that I went back into dance class, to help with my flexibility and balance. And we all had to play an instrument, dad's orders. His mother played the piano, so I think he just wanted to keep music in the house. So I picked up the flute, Riley tickled the ivories, and Addy finally settled with the violin after experimenting with many, many different instruments. <laughs> We all became quite good at it, and would have impromtu concerts in the family room."
As Haley got older, her passion and talent for gymnastics grew stronger.
"I would spend every free moment training. Before school, after school, weekends.. All of my spare time went into training. Dad eventually bought me a trampoline for the back yard, and a practice beam for my room. I suppose he got tired of always driving me to the gym, <laughs> but I loved it. And my coach saw something in me. He knew my potential, and pushed me everyday. I started gym much later than most other girls, so I had to push myself hard. So I climbed up the levels pretty quick, began competing, and getting my name out there. Back then, I was just did it because I liked it; talent or potential never really crossed my mind. It wasn't until I made it to the Youth Olympics before I knew I had a gift."
Haley has competed in many gymnastic competitions, including the Youth Olympic, the Classic, US Nationals, American Cup, and many others. Haley's dream was to make the Olympic team.
"I think as any athlete, your goal is to reach the finish line of your sport. In futbol, you want to win the World Cup. In American football, you want to win the Super Bowl. For me, it was the Olympics. That was my finish line, and I had every intention of crossing my finish line. My body just had other plans."
During a competition, Haley ruptured her Achilles tendon, an injury known all too well in the gymnastics world,
"If you're going to be a gymnast, you're going to get injured. It's a guarantee, and most will end up quitting because of an injury rather than simple retirement. You never know when it's going to happen. You can stick a landing 100 times perfectly, but on the 101st, something breaks, shatters or tears. That's the human body. I've broken, bruised, dislocated and torn just about everything you possibly can. Doctors have told me for years what was coming. Every gymnast knows what could happen, but you can't let that get to you. When you get to that kind of level, the rewards just outweigh the risks. I did everything I could to prevent something like that, I mean I had done that dismount millions of times...."
Haley was out for over a year, where she underwent many surguries and months of PT. Haley went back to competing, but never got back to 100%,
"I've recovered from tons of injuries, some maybe even worse than my achilles, but I just wasn't competing like I used to. I never got full range back, and I had been out so long I wasn't going to make the [Olympic] team. I had never had an injury keep me out for so long... I had to make a tough decision. I identified myself by gymnastics, it's who I was. It was something Riley and I did together... It was my dream, and I was so close.. How do you walk away from your dream after so you've safrificed so much?"
So Haley walked away from gymnastics, and found herself at a crossroads
"I didn't really know what to do without gym. I didn't want to go back to New Orleans, and I really had no interest in returning to England either.
That's when I found Morada. I suppose I wanted to get away from it all, get away from anyone who knew me. I wanted a fresh start."
Haley still practices, and keeps in shape, but has confirmed that her competing days are over,
"It's taken me a long time to accept it, but yes, I am done. I think when I walked away after the injury, I had kept up hope that I would return someday. Now, my focus has changed. I coach now. I travel around coaching teams of all ages and experience levels. Riley still competes, so I live vicariously though her now <laughs>, and help her prepare to make the Olympic team."
Haley currently resides in Morada, where she has called home since her retirement. These days, she spends most of her time in the gym putting together new routines for the next generation. She continues to play the flute, as well.
"<laughs> Yes, I still play the flute. It's very relaxing. Like my father, I like to have the music in the house."
DOB: September 23, 1985
Parents: Paul and Anne Corrigan
Siblings: Addison Corrigan and Riley Corrigan
Haley was born in Cambridge, England to the parents of Paul and Anne Corrigan.The middle of three children, all girls, Haley grew up in a modest home, with a faily normal childhood. When Haley was 8 years old, her father's company had offered him a promotion--in New Orleans, Louisiana.
"I'll never forget that day. We had just gotten home from school and dad called a family meeting. We knew something was up, because we had never had a family meeting before. I remember sitting next to Addy [Addison] on the couch when he said it: We're moving to the States. And just like that, with that one little sentence, my world had forever changed. We fought it at first, my sisters and I. We had friends, family in England.. It was all that we knew. And we didn't know anything about the states, let alone New Orleans. <chuckles> The first thing Riley did was go to the Globe to find it on the map. But mum and dad had made the decision,and we had to go."
So the Corrigan family packed up their lives and jumped the pond, settling in a small town outside of New Orleans,
"It was a huge adjustment for us. We [the kids] were terrified of starting a new school. Keep in mind, schooling in England is nothing like it is in the States, we had no idea what to expect. We were scared we weren't going to make new friends, if we were going to like it, if we would fit in.. Normal stuff to worry about I suppose. Come to think of it, I had the same fears before I moved to Morada!"
Haley and her sisters had a difficult time adapting to the Southern culture, especially the deep-Southern dialect,
"It's funny, I was so terrified of not making new friends and not fitting in, I never even thought about the culture, then againI was only 8. I suppose it's that southern charm they always talk about. Or perhaps it was our "accents", but my sisters and I became quite popular rather quickly. Everyone wanted to know what England was like, and "if everyone spoke like we did". Which we all wanted to know the same thing about them <chuckles>. I'll tell ya, we had the hardest time understanding the Southern dialect. It took some getting used to, but it was tough!"
In an effort for her to make friends faster, Haley's mother enrolled her in after school activities,
"Riley and I picked gymnastics, and Addy picked karate. All three of us took dance, but it never really did stick with any of us. It wasn't until I became serious about gymnastics that I went back into dance class, to help with my flexibility and balance. And we all had to play an instrument, dad's orders. His mother played the piano, so I think he just wanted to keep music in the house. So I picked up the flute, Riley tickled the ivories, and Addy finally settled with the violin after experimenting with many, many different instruments. <laughs> We all became quite good at it, and would have impromtu concerts in the family room."
As Haley got older, her passion and talent for gymnastics grew stronger.
"I would spend every free moment training. Before school, after school, weekends.. All of my spare time went into training. Dad eventually bought me a trampoline for the back yard, and a practice beam for my room. I suppose he got tired of always driving me to the gym, <laughs> but I loved it. And my coach saw something in me. He knew my potential, and pushed me everyday. I started gym much later than most other girls, so I had to push myself hard. So I climbed up the levels pretty quick, began competing, and getting my name out there. Back then, I was just did it because I liked it; talent or potential never really crossed my mind. It wasn't until I made it to the Youth Olympics before I knew I had a gift."
Haley has competed in many gymnastic competitions, including the Youth Olympic, the Classic, US Nationals, American Cup, and many others. Haley's dream was to make the Olympic team.
"I think as any athlete, your goal is to reach the finish line of your sport. In futbol, you want to win the World Cup. In American football, you want to win the Super Bowl. For me, it was the Olympics. That was my finish line, and I had every intention of crossing my finish line. My body just had other plans."
During a competition, Haley ruptured her Achilles tendon, an injury known all too well in the gymnastics world,
"If you're going to be a gymnast, you're going to get injured. It's a guarantee, and most will end up quitting because of an injury rather than simple retirement. You never know when it's going to happen. You can stick a landing 100 times perfectly, but on the 101st, something breaks, shatters or tears. That's the human body. I've broken, bruised, dislocated and torn just about everything you possibly can. Doctors have told me for years what was coming. Every gymnast knows what could happen, but you can't let that get to you. When you get to that kind of level, the rewards just outweigh the risks. I did everything I could to prevent something like that, I mean I had done that dismount millions of times...."
Haley was out for over a year, where she underwent many surguries and months of PT. Haley went back to competing, but never got back to 100%,
"I've recovered from tons of injuries, some maybe even worse than my achilles, but I just wasn't competing like I used to. I never got full range back, and I had been out so long I wasn't going to make the [Olympic] team. I had never had an injury keep me out for so long... I had to make a tough decision. I identified myself by gymnastics, it's who I was. It was something Riley and I did together... It was my dream, and I was so close.. How do you walk away from your dream after so you've safrificed so much?"
So Haley walked away from gymnastics, and found herself at a crossroads
"I didn't really know what to do without gym. I didn't want to go back to New Orleans, and I really had no interest in returning to England either.
That's when I found Morada. I suppose I wanted to get away from it all, get away from anyone who knew me. I wanted a fresh start."
Haley still practices, and keeps in shape, but has confirmed that her competing days are over,
"It's taken me a long time to accept it, but yes, I am done. I think when I walked away after the injury, I had kept up hope that I would return someday. Now, my focus has changed. I coach now. I travel around coaching teams of all ages and experience levels. Riley still competes, so I live vicariously though her now <laughs>, and help her prepare to make the Olympic team."
Haley currently resides in Morada, where she has called home since her retirement. These days, she spends most of her time in the gym putting together new routines for the next generation. She continues to play the flute, as well.
"<laughs> Yes, I still play the flute. It's very relaxing. Like my father, I like to have the music in the house."